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Friday, September 14, 2012

Retro Review: Whacking Day

Original Airdate
April 29, 1993

Or the One Where
Bart and Lisa team up to stop Whacking Day, a local holiday involving the beating of snakes.

The Setup
After Bart ruins an inspection by Superintendent Chalmers, he is expelled and Marge is forced to home-school him, inadvertently teaching him the knowledge he needs to help Lisa stop Whacking Day. Notable Notes
This episode marks the first appearance of Superintendent Chalmers, Principal Skinner's boss.

Barry White also guest stars as himself, and the version of "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" that he performs in this episode was an original recording done for the episode.

Favorite QuotesSkinner: So, what's the word down at One School Board Plaza?Chalmers: We're dropping the geography requirement. The children weren't testing well. It's proving to be an embarrassment.Skinner: Very good. Back to the three R's.Chalmers: Two R's, come October.

Ralph: What's a battle?Skinner: Hahahaha, lets go.Chalmers: Did that boy say what's a battle?Skinner: No he said What's that rattle, it's about the heating duct.Chalmers: Hmm, it sounded like battle.Skinner: I've had a cold, so--Chalmers: Oh so you hear r's as b's?

Marge: Bart, I'd like you to read this copy of Johnny Tremaine. It's a book I read as a girl.Bart: A book!? Pfffft.Marge: I think you might like this. It's about a boy who goes to war. His hand is deformed in an accident. Bart: Deformed? Why didn't you say so! They should call this book Johnny Deformed!

Tour Guide: The enemy surrounded the fort, and said that if the captain was sent out, the rest would be spared. Bart: What did they do?Tour Guide: They sent him out!Bart: Was he killed?Tour Guide: And how! That's why they call it 'Fort Sensible'.

Lisa: Dad, for the last time, please don't lower yourself to the level of the mob.Homer: Lisa, maybe if I'm part of that mob, I can help steer it in wise directions. Now where's my giant foam cowboy hat and airhorn?

Teebore's Take
This is another one of those episodes which attained almost mythic status in my eyes because I somehow managed to never get it recorded. Thus, I watched it a lot less than other episodes, and it always felt special whenever I did. It doesn't hurt that it's also a phenomenal episode, one which manages to skewer the educational system, politics and mob mentality while also presenting an impassioned argument for animal rights, all while being funny, and all within twenty-two minutes (there's a particularly great recurring sight gag in which Homer pulls into the garage every day, forgetting Marge is using it as a classroom and nearly runs into Bart; it cracks me up every time). This episode also furthers the development of Lisa's character, giving us the first indication of her strong stance on animal rights, foreshadowing her later decision to become a vegetarian, one of the few character/continuity changes to actually stick from episode-to-episode.Classic
After a couple episodes that were a slight step down in quality, we're back to the out-and-out classics, with an episode that showcases everything The Simpsons does best.

@Dr. Bitz: But I do feel like it gets forgotten when talking about greatest episode ever, but this one is really good!

I too think it tends to get overlooked, though some of it may come from the fact that I've simply not watched it as much as the other episodes of this era, and thus tend to forget about it/overlook it myself...

I believe his name is Supernintendo Chalmers.

Touche.

I forgot about that, but upon reading it I couldn't help but start cracking up.

The best part is that they reuse the animation the second time, which does a nice job of underscoring Homer's complete failure to remember Marge and Bart are using the garage.